MEDICAL FORMS To dive in the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber and/or join the volunteer Chamber Crew a current diving medical clearance (within one year of the course) is required. We will accept any ONE of the following clearances: The enclosed USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber Clearance for Hyperbaric signed by a physician, OR The enclosed NBDHMT Fitness to Work in Pressurized Setting signed by a physician, OR A current Standard Diver Medical Exam (RSTC, NAUI, PADI, etc.) signed by a physician stating that you are cleared for diving, OR The AAUS Medical Evaluation of Fitness for Scuba Diving Report (following pages labeled Appendix 1-3) signed by a physician, OR If you are a member of a scientific, public safety, or military dive team a letter from your Diving Officer stating that you are medically cleared to dive in your program will suffice in lieu of any of the above medicals If you join the Chamber Crew, the ability to become a part of the Scientific Diving program at USC is one of the perks available to Chamber Volunteers. If you are planning on joining the Chamber Crew, and wish to Scuba dive at the lab during your on-call time, then: The AAUS Medical Evaluation of Fitness for Scuba Diving Report (following pages labeled Appendix 1-3) signed by a physician is required, OR If you are a member of a scientific, public safety, or military dive team then a letter of reciprocity from your Diving Officer stating that you are a member in good standing in your program can be accepted Applicant's Name: ____________________________________ Age: ________________________ Gender: Male / Female Address: ____________________________________________ City: ___________________ State: ______ Zip: ___________ Daytime Phone: ______________________________________ Evening Phone: ______________________________________ P.O. Box 5069 Avalon, CA 90704-5069 Clearance for Hyperbaric Exposure (310) 510-4020 (Voice) (310) 510-1364 (FAX) Medical History You must obtain medical clearance prior to participating in hyperbaric exposures, "dry dives," at the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. Complete the following history and take it to your "diving doctor." You must bring this form, or an equivalent recent DIVING medical approval, to the chamber with you. Do you now have, or have you ever had (Check all that apply): Seizure disorder (except febrile in infancy) Recent sprain, fracture, or arthritis Recent cardiovascular or neurogenic syncope Meniere's disease Obstructive pulmonary disease Thoracic surgery or penetrating chest wound Arterial gas embolism Heart disease (myocardial infarction or arrhythmia) Pulmonary overexpansion accident Pneumothorax (spontaneous, surgical, or traumatic) Pregnancy (currently) Decompression sickness with neurological deficit Asthma Blood disorder Claustrophobia (Sickle cell anemia; chronic anemia; 2,3, DPG deficiency) To the Physician I am applying for the opportunity to participate in hyperbaric chamber (air) exposure dives to 60 feet of seawater (fsw) and/or 165 fsw. I understand that this activity will subject me to pressure in the middle ear and sinuses during pressurization and depressureazation of the chamber and request medical clearance to participate in this activity. Patient's signature: _________________________________ Examination: A recent inspiratory chest X-ray should be reviewed to rule out structural weakness and disease of the applicant's lungs and chest wall. Indications of medical history (above) or evidence (below) disqualify the applicant for dives in the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. Subplural bullae or blebs Coin lesion Pneumothorax Upper respiratory infection (middle ear and/or sinuses) Air-containing cysts Lower respiratory infection Atelectasis Inability to perform Valsalva (or any auto-inflate maneuver) Allergic I find that this individual is Cleared for Hyperbaric Exposure I am Unable to Recommend this individual for Hyperbaric Exposure Date: ___________________________ Physician's Signature: ____________________________________________ Name (print): ________________________________________________ Telephone: _________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________________ State: __________ Zip: ________________ Certified Diver Medic Technician Fitness to Work in Pressurized Setting Medical Examiner Recommendations National Board of Diving & Hyperbaric Medical Technology 9 Medical Park, Suite 330, Columbia, SC 29203 USA Phone: (803) 434-7802 Fax: (866) 451-7231 E-Mail: [email protected] www.nbdhmt.org Applicant/Employee: Employer: Date of Birth: Position Title: Date of Exam: Considering any job-related information provided to me by the employer: either before or upon my request during the course of my evaluation, it is my opinion, that based on the results of the: Physical Examination Physical Agility Testing Medical Testing, as required by ____________________________________ The aforementioned individual is: Medically cleared as fit to work in pressurized settings Medically cleared as fit to work in pressurized settings, except that a condition exists which limits work as follows: _____________________________________________________________________________________________* Not cleared to work in pressurized settings PHYSICIAN Signature: Physician Stamp Name: Date: Contact:(Tel: Email) * In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the medical examiner may not list on this form either medical diagnoses or conditions. Only restrictions and/or job-related tasks that cannot be adequately performed by the applicant/employee are to be listed. APPENDIX 1 DIVING MEDICAL EXAM OVERVIEW FOR THE EXAMINING PHYSICIAN TO THE EXAMINING PHYSICIAN: This person, _____________________, requires a medical examination to assess their fitness for certification as a Scientific Diver for the_______________________ (Organizational Member). Their answers on the Diving Medical History Form (attached) may indicate potential health or safety risks as noted. Your evaluation is requested on the attached scuba Diving Fitness Medical Evaluation Report. If you have questions about diving medicine, you may wish to consult one of the references on the attached list or contact one of the physicians with expertise in diving medicine whose names and phone numbers appear on an attached list, the Undersea Hyperbaric and Medical Society, or the Divers Alert Network. Please contact the undersigned Diving Safety Officer if you have any questions or concerns about diving medicine or the __________________________ standards. Thank you for your assistance. Organizational Member ______________________________________ _____________________________ Diving Safety Officer Date ______________________________________ _____________________________ Printed Name Phone Number Scuba and other modes of compressed-gas diving can be strenuous and hazardous. A special risk is present if the middle ear, sinuses, or lung segments do not readily equalize air pressure changes. The most common cause of distress is eustachian insufficiency. Recent deaths in the scientific diving community have been attributed to cardiovascular disease. Please consult the following list of conditions that usually restrict candidates from diving. (Adapted from Bove, 1998: bracketed numbers are pages in Bove) CONDITIONS WHICH MAY DISQUALIFY CANDIDATES FROM DIVING 1. Abnormalities of the tympanic membrane, such as perforation, presence of a monomeric membrane, or inability to autoinflate the middle ears. [5 ,7, 8, 9] 2. Vertigo, including Meniere’s Disease. [13] 3. Stapedectomy or middle ear reconstructive surgery. [11] 4. Recent ocular surgery. [15, 18, 19] 5. Psychiatric disorders including claustrophobia, suicidal ideation, psychosis, anxiety states, untreated depression. [20 - 23] 6. Substance abuse, including alcohol. [24 - 25] 7. Episodic loss of consciousness. [1, 26, 27] 8. History of seizure. [27, 28] 9. History of stroke or a fixed neurological deficit. [29, 30] 10. Recurring neurologic disorders, including transient ischemic attacks. [29, 30] 11. History of intracranial aneurysm, other vascular malformation or intracranial hemorrhage. [31] 12. History of neurological decompression illness with residual deficit. [29, 30] 13. Head injury with sequelae. [26, 27] 14. Hematologic disorders including coagulopathies. [41, 42] 15. Evidence of coronary artery disease or high risk for coronary artery disease. [33 - 35] 16. Atrial septal defects. [39] 17. Significant valvular heart disease - isolated mitral valve prolapse is not disqualifying. [38] 18. Significant cardiac rhythm or conduction abnormalities. [36 - 37] 19. Implanted cardiac pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators (ICD). [39, 40] 20. Inadequate exercise tolerance. [34] 21. Severe hypertension. [35] 22. History of spontaneous or traumatic pneumothorax. [45] 23. Asthma. [42 - 44] 24. Chronic pulmonary disease, including radiographic evidence of pulmonary blebs, bullae, or cysts. [45,46] 25. Diabetes mellitus. [46 - 47] 26. Pregnancy. [56] Revised 12/09 Page 57 SELECTED REFERENCES IN DIVING MEDICINE Available from Best Publishing Company, P.O. Box 30100, Flagstaff, AZ 86003-0100, the Divers Alert Network (DAN) or the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS), Durham, NC • Elliott, D.H. ed. 1996. Are Asthmatics Fit to Dive? Kensington, MD: Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. • Bove, A.A. 2011. The cardiovascular system and diving risk. Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine 38(4):